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OPINION

Preparedness, practice key elements of OSU response

Editorial board
Published 4:52 a.m. ET Dec. 4, 2016

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USA TODAY NETWORK-Ohio/Jessica PhelpsPolice gather items from the scene of the stabbings outside Watts Hall. Police bag up items from the scene of the stabbing outside of Watts Hall on Ohio State's campus. Nine people were taken to area hospitals after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries from a suspect who attacked people on campus Monday morning. He used his car and a butcher knife. Police shot and killed the suspect, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, an 18-year-old Somalian refugee who was also an OSU student.(Photo: Jessica Phelps/The Advocate)Buy Photo

Three harrowing words in the middle of a social media post Monday from The Ohio State University’s Emergency Services Department struck fear into the hearts of many.

“Run, Hide, Fight,” they harrowingly read. They were followed by another post that asked students to “shelter in place,” another sign that an incident at Watts Hall was anything but ordinary.

That’s the way most of the country and the world heard of the attack on the OSU campus — an attack that left 11 people injured and the attacker dead from a gunshot fired by a university police officer.

The incident, which would later be claimed as a terrorist attack by known terror groups, is another startling reminder to be ever vigilant. When you believe yourself to be safe, don’t let your guard down.

It’s also a great reminder that preparedness is the key in unexpected and potentially disastrous situations.

Reports say Horujko called in the first word of the attack at 9:52 a.m. Within two minutes, he called in again to let police know he had killed the attacker — saving lives and more severe injuries. A witness said the officer waited until “everyone was clear” and shot the man.

University and state officials praised police planning and response, saying the words in the social media posts are part of that preparedness. “Run, Hide, Fight” and “shelter in place” are instructions for students, faculty, and staff to help them understand the threat and react accordingly.

It’s clear the plans and practice all came into play Monday and lives were saved because of that preparation. It’s a reminder of the potential threat that exists in our world, even the world close to home.

There are similar plans practiced by our local police departments and sheriff’s offices as they do active shooter training at schools, universities and large businesses.

We hope they never need to carry out those plans or use that training, but we’re certainly comforted by the fact they can rise to the occasion if the need arises.